Cameron, Douglas

F/L Douglas Cameron was a game keeper in Perthshire, Scotland prior to 1939. After training for the Royal Air Force, he served as a gunner with No. 58 Squadron based at York and flew two tours in Whitley bombers. While with this squadron he was shot down by an FW190 fighter. Following this, he served with Coastal Command, until moving to No. 149 Squadron based at Lakenheath where he joined the crew of F/Sgt. R.H. Middleton of the Royal Australian Air Force. On the night of 27/28 November 1942 they flew to Turin, Italy to attack the Fiat Works. Their Stirling aircraft was hit by flak and severely damaged while returning from the target. Middleton, missing one eye, managed to fly the aircraft back to the English coast where four of the crew, including Cameron, baled out before the aircraft crashed into the sea killing Middleton and two other crewmembers. Middleton was awarded a posthumous Victoria Cross for his efforts and Douglas Cameron the DFM.

Removed from flying operations Cameron served with No. 20 O.T.U. at Lossiemouth as Gunnery Leader. In May 1944 he went back to ops with S/L Ian Bazalgette as part of the Pathfinder Force and began operating with No. 635 Squadron. On 4 August 1944 their Lancaster was struck by flak. Cameron and the able crew were ordered to bale out over France while Bazalgette attempted to land the plane on a single engine to save the lives of two injured crewmembers who were unable to jump. Bazalgette was awarded a posthumous Victoria Cross for his action. Cameron was able to evade Nazi soldiers and tracking dogs in the forest. He joined up with the French Resistance and became a saboteur until the area was liberated.

Following the war Cameron returned to Scotland to continue his career as a gamekeeper. He named his only daughter Margaret Middleton Bazalgette Cameron as his lasting tribute to the pilots he had flown with on Victoria Cross flights.

2015-6-17

W. Laufs